


Not Letting Go

by hmweasley



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Helen Blackthorn/Aline Penhallow, F/F, Grief/Mourning, Hunter's Moon Discord's HM500 Event, Past Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-16
Updated: 2021-03-16
Packaged: 2021-03-25 02:27:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30082068
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hmweasley/pseuds/hmweasley
Summary: Aline finds an upset Helen in the kitchen one morning.
Relationships: Helen Blackthorn/Aline Penhallow
Kudos: 5
Collections: Hunter's Moon 500 Prompts





	Not Letting Go

**Author's Note:**

> Prompts:  
> HM500 - pain

Aline took heavy steps as she entered the kitchen to alert Helen to her presence before she’d turned around to see her. When Helen did turn around, pain settled into Aline’s chest at the sight. Tears trailed down Helen’s cheeks, and her eyes were rimmed with red. She seemed to have been up longer than Aline had realized.

Not knowing what to say, Aline stepped forward and opened her arms. Helen collapsed into them, her sobs overtaking her as she clutched at Aline’s shirt. Aline held her tightly and pressed a series of quick kisses to the crown of her head. 

She had no idea what was wrong. Helen couldn’t have been awake for more than an hour before she’d been found, so there wasn’t much that could have happened. But Aline didn’t dare ask what was going on while Helen was still crying too hard to speak. She wanted nothing more than to take her pain away and make things alright.

They stood in the middle of the kitchen long enough for the coffee that Helen had poured herself just before Aline entered to go cold on the counter. But neither of them paid any attention to it. Aline was only focused on Helen And making sure that she was okay. She ran a hand up and down her back, earning a tearful smile in return.

Eventually, Helen’s tears died down. She lifted her head from where she’d been nuzzled into the crook of Aline’s neck and wiped her tears with the end of her sleeve. She laughed a little as if she’d just realized what state she was in and was embarrassed.

“Do you want to talk?” Aline asked softly.

Her hands found Helen’s hips, and she rubbed circles there with her thumbs. Helen gave her a teary smile and wrapped her own arms around Aline’s waist, holding her close.

“It’s the anniversary of my mother’s death,” she said quietly, choking over the words. “Usually I’m okay on the day, but… I don’t know. I guess this year it just hit particularly hard for some reason.”

Aline nodded and hugged her close again.

“Of course,” she said.

She’d never experienced the pain of losing a parent, so she couldn’t claim to fully understand what emotions Helen was going through in that moment. All she could do was be there and provide comfort if Helen wanted it, and that morning, she seemed to want it.

Her hands were no longer grabbing onto Aline’s sweater with white knuckles, but she remained latched onto Aline and didn’t show any signs of letting go. Aline didn’t want to let go either. Her heart was pained at the thought of what Helen might be experiencing, and her grip tightened unconsciously around her at the thought.

“Thank you for being here,” Helen said, burrowing her face into Aline’s shoulder.

Aline sighed. And this time, she was the one to grip onto Helen’s shirt tightly.

She had no plans of letting go any time soon.


End file.
